I had a bit of a mixed reaction to this book. I could totally relate to so many of the aspects of island life, from the wealthy summer people vs the year round residents, the absolute beauty of the place, and the difficulty in maintaining much privacy…..I live year round in such a place. What lost me was Brynn and the endless description of her postpartum depression, it took away from the mystery aspect for me, if you’re looking for women’s fiction that deals with the struggles of postpartum depression and the toll it takes this may be for you, if you’re more of a mystery lover just know that it takes a back seat. The characters are well written, the locale beautifully described, and the heaviness of postpartum depression rings true, I was just looking for more of a mystery oriented book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for an advance ARC.

Such a Good Mom was my first read by Julia Spiro. New mom Brynn is in the throws of postpartum depression when her husband is arrested for murder. He is adamant that he did not do anything, but that he knows why he is being arrested. He leaves her a cryptic message regarding "the orange sun" and tells her that she needs to find it in order to get an explanation of what is happening.

I enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful. I didn't necessarily think the depths of postpartum depression shown here were necessary for the development of the story. The plot developed slowly and lagged a bit along the way for me. However, I was not expecting the ending! Overall an enjoyable read, but likely will not be super memorable overall. 3.5 stars.

This book was so relatable. So many mom moments. Great story and kept me guessing. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery behind what was happening.

★★★½☆


SUCH A GOOD MOM: Where Mystery Meets Motherhood's Raw Edge

I couldn't put this one down, though not always for the reasons I expected. What begins as a Martha's Vineyard murder mystery transforms into something far more intimate – an unflinching portrait of postpartum struggle that hit me in places I didn't see coming.

The balance feels deliberately uneven – 75% raw motherhood experience, 25% whodunit – with Brynn's unreliable narration creating a claustrophobic haze that mirrors her mental state perfectly. Each chapped nipple and sleepless night felt so visceral I could almost feel my own body aching in sympathy.


Tropes I'm Tracking:
👶 New Mom Overwhelm - The crushing reality of postpartum struggles
🕵️‍♀️ Unreliable Narrator - Is Brynn's perception clouded by exhaustion?
🏝️ Perfect Life Facade - Martha's Vineyard beauty hiding ugly secrets
👫 Distant Husband - Marriage strain under the weight of parenthood
🔍 Amateur Detective Mom - Solving crime while barely functioning
🌫️ Postpartum Fog - Memory lapses and judgment issues creating tension
💔 Identity Crisis - The devastating loss of self in early motherhood

The murder investigation unfolds in foggy glimpses—mirroring how Brynn experiences her postpartum world. 🔍 I found myself both frustrated by her choices and fiercely protective of her vulnerability. That's the magic here. 💫


Not quite the beach read promised, but something more haunting that lingers. 💭

Such A Good Mom by Julia Spiro is an emotionally intense, highly relatable mystery. I really enjoyed reading this gripping, unforgettable book. The author did such an amazing job of seamlessly weaving the realness of new motherhood with the all elements of a great psychological murder mystery. A huge thank you to Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for the digital advanced copy of the book.

New motherhood should be a joyous occasion, but it can often times feel like one endlessly overwhelming experience with lots feedings, sleep deprived nights and plenty of self-doubt. Brynn Nelson should be completely happy right about now with her loving husband, beautiful new baby, a successful career as a writer, and a bustling life on Martha’s Vineyard. But Brynn feels like she is drowning, struggling to manage the challenges of her life. Her husband, Ross has become detached as of late, and the difficulties of postpartum are making Brynn feel like she is losing chunks of herself to the demands of motherhood.

But it’s summer time on the vineyard, a bastion for wealthy vacationers who want to come play in the beautiful sun and sand. A place of shear perfection, and long held secrets. An island that almost seems exempt from the harshness of crime and tragic circumstances. However, locals like Brynn and her husband Ross, who both grew up on the island know that tragedy has a way of hitting at any time. This time around the misfortune arrives when Cecilia a friend of the family washes ashore, dead. And when Ross is arrested and charged with her murder Brynn’s already hectic life becomes chaotic. With all that’s going on she is not sure who, or what she can actually trust, including herself. Even though everything feels turbulent Brynn is determined to figure out the truth, and she won’t stop until she uncovers the answers.

Such A Good Mom is a fast-paced, well written, murder mystery filled with plenty of twist that I couldn’t put it down. The main character, Brynn is so identifiable, easy to sympathize with because of her struggles with being a busy wife, and new mother dealing with postpartum, something that many women have gone through and continue to experience every day. This is an incredibly insightful, honest and highly entertaining book that should not be missed out on. It’s perfect for summer beach reading!

I’m finding it hard to describe/categorize SUCH A GOOD MOM by Julia Spiro. There’s a huge focus on the female protagonist’s experience with new motherhood and postpartum depression, which I really appreciated, yet there’s a strong thriller/mystery aspect to it as well. Check out this quick synopsis:

“𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘰’𝘴 𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘔𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳, 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘢’𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴.”

The reflections on motherhood are what initially pulled me in, but the murder investigation is what kept me listening—I was hooked! I honestly feel like I was the perfect audience for this novel. Motherhood is one of my very favorite themes to read about, and thrillers are totally my jam. It made for a really great mash-up!

The author does a fantastic job capturing the realities of new/first-time motherhood. The exhaustion, confusion, loneliness, and stress of it all is extremely overwhelming. She doesn’t sugarcoat things and really gets into the nitty gritty. I found a lot of it quite relatable.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Reflections on motherhood
- Marriage issues
- Family drama and dynamics
- Murder investigations
- Martha’s Vineyard setting
- Character-driven novels
- Slow-burning mysteries
- Clever whodunnits

SUCH A GOOD MOM is available now! It gets 4/5 stars from me!

Thank you so much @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advanced copy!

I’m going to preface this review by stating why I requested this book on NetGalley. The synopsis mentions postpartum and new motherhood, and I surmised that PPD would be big in this book. Why would anyone want to read that?! Well, I guess that if you’ve experienced it, then solidarity can be somewhat comforting (at least to me).

I’ve read others reviews that couldn’t understand the PPD, and thought that it overtook the story. Totally agree, it did. But it was also an accurate depiction of what it feels like. I do think that for the sake of the story the murder and other plot points could’ve shone a bit more. I also found it very frustrating that it took so long for anyone to actually help Brynn, while she was struggling so desperately. Someone tell her to stop breast feeding, tell her how detrimental sleep deprivation can be! I wanted to scream at her friends to help her more. Anywho…

As a whole, I was still heavily invested in this story. I kinda-sorta figured the ending out, but not entirely, so I liked that. I felt for Brynn and everything she was going through.

If you’re looking for a crazy thriller with a shocking ending, this isn’t going to be it. Trigger warnings should be checked prior to reading this, as the depression is heavy, and there’s such an emphasis on new motherhood.

We all think or want to be a good mom! After reading this book you will realize we all are in our own ways! It’s a great story!

Brynn has a newborn baby, a wonderful husband, and her writing career is taking off. Even though her husband Ross seems distracted lately, and she could use his help with the baby a bit more.. But when Ross is arrested for a murder, Brynn knows he’s not responsible. Despite her lack of sleep, Brynn sets out to discover the real murderer.

This is a decent story, though it did wander at times. The murder itself would have been enough story, but there was also a whole side story about Brynn’s postpartum depression. I found that tedious and boring and it felt like filler most of the time. Also the idea what everyone could see it but Brynn but no one did anything? Irritating. The murder plot line was excellent and I enjoyed that. The rest? Not as much.a

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available April 29, 2025.

New mom Brynn is frustrated with her husband, Ross. He's working long hours, behaving strangely, and not helping with their baby, Lucas, as much as she'd like. Motherhood is not what she expected--at all. She wonders how she'll ever meet her deadlines for her next novel.

If she thinks unhelpfulness is bad, getting arrested for murder is much much worse. A summer employee at the club Ross and his family belong to is found dead on the beach. What Brynn initially believes to be a senseless incomprehensible tragedy becomes much more to her. And when the evidence seems to stack up against Ross, she finally notices a few schisms in the investigation. As she sets out to figure out what really happened to Cecelia, she discovers who she can really trust.

Author Julia Spiro accurately captures the struggles of new motherhood. The mystery adds an interesting dimension to this story, although Brynn's fixation on her husband's obliviousness, even as he is in jail for murder, seems odd. The setting is fabulous and perhaps the relative lack of crime explains the police force's inability to see through the really obvious clues the killer plants. Still, it was an enjoyable read with a good setting. And here's to partners who help with babies while staying out of jail! #SuchaGoodMom #NetGalley

This title was a great "palate cleanser"--a unique novel that tackles the topic of post-partum depression and being a new mom. While the details can get monotonous (isn't that the struggle!?!), "Such a Good Mom" is blends the real with fiction in a wonderful way. Excellent tension and emotion. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 on Goodreads for me. Excited for publication day tomorrow on 4/29/25! *I received a complimentary ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Such a Good Mom should be required reading for anyone considering parenthood and for everyone who still thinks new mothers should simply "bounce back."

We meet Brynn, a relatable mom drowning in the impossible expectations of new motherhood. Struggling with postpartum isolation, identity loss, and the suffocating pressure to be "perfect," she is too overwhelmed to fully notice the red flags rising around her until it is too late. Her husband’s growing secrecy, her in-laws' strange behavior, and the cracks in her carefully curated life all come crashing down when her husband is arrested for murder.

Set against the backdrop of an idyllic Martha’s Vineyard town, the story centers on the mysterious death of a young country club employee found washed up on the beach. As the investigation unfolds, every relationship is tested for its true value: the wealthy, doting grandparents, the old flame who never fully faded, and the best friend who might know just a little too much.

This is a quick, sharp mystery that I tore through in one sitting. It is equal parts emotionally honest and compulsively readable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Julia Spiro, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Abigail Reno. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Brynn should be on top of the world - she has a new baby, a devoted husband, a career she enjoys, and life on Martha's Vineyard. But she's struggling. Her husband seems distant and new motherhood is hard. When a family friend is found dead and her husband accused of the crime, Brynn's life is really turned upside down.

I loved this story of a new mom, struggling with all that entails. Nothing in her life is as it was before – not her relationship with her husband, not her body, not her work. She doesn’t trust herself enough to know who she can trust, even her husband.. You could feel Brynn's struggles and doubts about herself and those around her. I liked the look into all that goes into the label of being a good mom, mostly how we as women judge ourselves and our own moms.

This started strong but ultimately was so predictable that I figured out exactly what was going to happen with the mystery as soon as the premise was set up. The setting of Martha’s Vineyard was a nice touch and I enjoyed the commentary surrounding those who lived their all year vs the summer folks. Brynn’s struggles were handled well and felt super real - I liked that Spiro didn’t shy away from the tough side of motherhood.

I really looked forward to this one. I love the idea of this book, however I am not sure mystery/thriller genre is correct....for me it was not either of those but still a very good read. I did not care much for the main character which always makes enjoying the story a little difficult.. I enjoyed the book as the Mom goes through post partum depression and was written well...just not what I was expecting.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t fully what I was expecting, which I think made it even better.

This was a gripping murder-mystery, but also touched on adjusting to motherhood and the difficulties of postpartum and PPD. Thankfully, my postpartum journey was a fairly easy one, but I feel like a lot of women will be able to relate to Brynn, who is the FMC.

The characters were created really well. Some of them you loved, some of them you hated, and others fell somewhere in between. The plot was very character-driven, so this was a major plus.

Thank you to Julia Spiro, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! 🫶🏻

Be sure to check this one out TOMORROW on Pub day!

Seems I am alone with my thoughts about this book. I did not enjoy it. It was so repetitive aggravating for me. I'm sorry but to me it was just ok. Maybe awful. I honestly hate to write this kind of review. To me this was just not that good.

Brynn is a new mother. She is never sleeping and her husband is not understanding. Their baby cries all the time and Brynn wishes she had never had him. Well yes some mothers go through this. It is good to adress. But all Brynn does is whine about her baby. About lack of sleep. About breast feeding. About everything.

When Brynn's husband is arrested for the murder of a waitress at the club they belong too on Martha's Vineyard she begins to wonder if he had an affair. If he killed her. Good grief would you blame him if he did? Well yes I would but still. Brynn starts to investigate. Lack of sleep and a screaming baby would stop a normal person. But not this one. She wants answers. She tells her friends how much she believes in her husband. Seems to me she should have recognized her own husband in a video. NO MATTER WHAT...

I didn't like anyone in this book. Well maybe Ginny. But the rest were so perfect. Until they weren't. I give Ross, Brynn's husband a pass because he seemed to truly be a nice guy. He was working hard for them to have a good life. He was also investigating someone for being crooked. I won't say who.

Everything does come out in the end. Not that I didn't figure it out. Good grief I was hoping it would be more. Maybe a long lost relative or something. All well what can I say. I did not enjoy any part of this book. To much about lack of sleep, breast feeding, and don't get me started on that rectal thermometer thing. lol It wasn't like Brynn did not have help. Oh and all throughout this story you hear how awful her mother was and is but then she shows up and it's like Brynn's best friend forever showed up. Yes this book was aggravating. It had me rolling my eyes so much. But the author worked hard on it I'm sure and I have to give her credit for that...

Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, #MacMillanAudio, for this ARC.

With a newborn baby and a seemingly perfect marriage Brynn should be the happiest person around, but she’s not. She’s struggling. Her husband isn’t really around, and she’s left to take care of her newborn, Lucas, by herself most of the time, as well as everything else, all while losing herself. A girl they know washes up dead and her husband is arrested for her death. Before being arrested, he whispers something to her. Now she must figure out what he means and find out what really happened to this girl.

I was on the struggle bus this whole time this whole book. It had such potential but unfortunately it lost me. There was so many long paragraphs of just nothing but prose and no dialogue (which, if you’ve been reading my reviews, you know is something I just don’t like). Then in the middle of a chapter, with no line break, there would all of a sudden be a flash back and I had to figure out when the flashback started and stopped. It got really confusing. Most of these flashbacks didn’t push the story further along, they included details or anecdotes that just gave us background information that if left out, would not have changed the trajectory of the story.

I thought I was getting a suspense/mystery book, but what it really is, is a book that discusses a lot of new mother hardships with a little bit of mystery. I will say this, the author was REALLY spot on with Brynn’s feelings about being a new mother. I do wish she would have come out and called it post partum depression though. There’s such a huge stigma surrounding it. It’s something that I suffered with when I had my first child, so I completed connected with Brynn on this level.

The twist at the end of the story was predictable. There are so many books where a lot of people figure out a twist and I can’t figure it out. Well, I figured this one out so that’s saying something. I was disappointed in this book – I really wanted to like it more. That being said, others have really enjoyed it so maybe you will too! My opinion is just that, mine!

I like the premise of this book. I couldn’t really get into it, though. Brynn, the female main character, is so self involved with postpartum depression that it just didn’t appeal to me. Perhaps it will be a good fit for other readers.

Set against the cozy, deceptively quiet backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, this domestic thriller taps into small-town claustrophobia in a big way. The storyline felt thin in spots, but it stayed compelling enough to keep me turning pages.

Brynn, a published author with two books under her belt, is a brand-new mom trying to survive the brutal chaos of postpartum life. Healing from a C-section, running on no sleep, breastfeeding a fussy newborn, and getting practically zero help from her husband Ross — it’s a brutal, unvarnished look at early motherhood. (Honestly, the portrayal of postpartum struggles was the strongest and most relatable part of the entire novel.)

Where it faltered for me was in the logic: Ross is basically useless, and yet, for some reason, they don’t hire even basic help — no cleaner, no groceries delivered, no night nurse, despite clearly living in a tax bracket where that would be an easy fix. The choice to ignore that option felt like an unnecessary stretch to keep Brynn isolated and struggling.

Then, just when her life couldn't get messier, a family work associate turns up dead — and Ross gets arrested for murder. Brynn is left piecing together what little she knows, and her cluelessness sometimes bordered on irritating. As an author, you’d think she’d have a little more imagination when the mystery started unfolding around her.

Still, the plot had enough twists to keep me guessing — not all the reveals were predictable, which I appreciated. It wasn’t a flawless thriller, but it definitely had its moments.